Combination safety joint, bumper sub, and equalizing valve



T, BUMPER VALVE 48 J. L. JOHNSTO COMBINAT SAFETY JOIN LIZING Jan. 16, 1951 ION SUB, AND EQUA Filed May INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 16, 1951 OFFICE .COMBNATLON SAFETY` JOINT,A BUMPER SUB, AND EQUALIZING VALVE (.lames L. Johnston, Longview, Tex.

Application May 24, 1948, Serial No. v28,813

(Cl. Z55-+127) 4 Claims. 1

'-hisinvention relates to a combination safety joint, jar or bumper sub, and equalizing valve for use in wells, especially in lishing tools, testing assemblies, and in other drill pipe assemblies in oil wells.

AIt-is an object of this invention to provide a sub having a splined mandrel operable in a body comprising `a tube and a lower section in which an upper set .of splines serve to bump upwardly against the tube, Vand also serves to unthread the tube from the lower section so that the upper section kof the sub and the pipe above it may be withdrawn from the well.

vIt is a further object of this invention to provide a joint .of the class described in which a lower set of ysplines may ride in grooves in both tube and sub so as to rotate both these elements together whenthe drill string is rotated.

It is `still a further object of this invention to provide a sub having a passage in the upper portion of the mandrel connecting with the periphery thereof so that the iiuid pressures within,v above, .and around the body of the sub, and within elements above the sub and attached thereto, may be equalized.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a subof the class described in which the body of the sub has a packing seal and gland in the upper end thereof through which the mandrel may slide.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a sub of the class described which is provided with an equalizing valve adapted to divert drilling fluid being pumped down the drill string outwardly into the well bore above the body of the sub to soften and to force formations which may be restricting the drill string.

Dt-her and Vfurther objects of the invention yvifll-be'readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. v1 is a sectional elevation showing the sub in jarring and/or rotating position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the sub in position so that the body may be unthreaded from the lower section.

.Fig. 3 vis a horizontal plan of the sub showing splines and grooves thereof taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The sub I comprises a mandrel 2 and the body 8. The mandrel 2 is adapted at the upper end 23 to be threaded into a drill string 3 and the body 8 at the lower end 24 is adapted to receive a'iishing tool,'a drill collar, or the lower end of a drill string, not shown. The upper end-of the mandrel has an axial hole 6 therein'which is-con-` nected tothe periphery of the mandrel'by means of a radial hole 1. The vbody 8 cfr-the sub com#4 prises Ya tube 9 vwhich 'has ar counterboredsection I0 in one end thereof and which is counterbored, countersunk and threaded -at the other end thereof to receive a packing seal IVI and -a-fgland I2. rlhe eounterbored section II) has-grooves" I3 cut along the whole -length of the oounterbore. The tube 9 is adapted at-25 to be threaded into the `upper end 26 of the lower section I4 Aof-th-e sub body 8.

T-he 'lower section I4 has ya bore I5 therethrough and also has internal splines or lan-ds' 6 in the upper end thereof. In assembly the tube 9 and the lower section lIll are shown-as being left-hand threaded to a'tolerance designed toas-4 sure that when the elements are inter-threaded to full tightness the internal splines leof the lower section I4 are in alignment Vvwith the lands 2l in the tube 9, and the interspaces or grooves 22 between the internal splines or lands I-6 are in alignment with the grooves or interspacesf-I of the tube 9.

It is pointed out that in constructionYthefin-L ternal splines I6 can as well be 'landsiorme'dby grooving the lower section I4, or that the lands 2 Iv of the tube 9 can as well be splines formed or welded therein. In operation in a well it often' happens that the lower sectionof a drill pipe, to which the lower section M of the sub body 8 is connected, may become stuck in the bore of the welland it then becomes necessary to loosen this Stuck section of pipe so that Vdrilling may continue or in order that the pipe may be pulled out of the well. When this occurs an upward strain is exerted at the'top of the well so that the upper set of splines l on the mandrel are brought into jarring contact with the shoulder I8 at the termina tion of the counterbore IU in the tube 9. When the mandrel 2 is in this position with relation' to the body v8,.the lower set `of splines 5 on the lmandrel 2 are partially in the grooves i3 of` the tube 9 and are partially inthe interspaces`22 between the internal splines I5 of the'lower section i4.

When in this position, rotation from the top of the Well will force the lower set of splines-5 Vagainst the internal splines I6-and 'the walls'l of the lands' 2| so that both the tube Brand the lower section Ill will rotate together,v conse quently rotation from the top Aof the we-l'ldwill ybe'imparted tothe sub body 8 and to fthe-pipe or fishing tool-section which is connected below'.

l' It should 'beV noticed that whilev jarring-isffbeing carried out to loosen stuck pipe or while the string or fishing tool is being rotated, then the hole 'I is above the top of the gland I2 and in this position the Iiuid pressure in the sealed off portion of the well below the point of sticking is different than the pressures above this point. At this time, however, the pressures in the portion of the well above the point of sticking and the pressures inside the drill pipe above the gland I2 can be equalized with the pressures outside thereof by means of the passage created by the hole I and the hole 6.

In order to better carry out the jarring operation and for other purposes, it is often found necessary to equalize the pressures which exist in the sealed off portion of the well and within the sub body 8 and the pressures existing within the drill pipe or in any tool above the sub body. This is accomplished by slackening off from the top of the well lto lower the mandrel inside of the body 8 until the hole 1 is in position below the seal II and in communication with the open annular space 20. In this manner the passage formed by the holes 'I and 6 will permit such equalization of pressures.

It often happens that the jarring operation will not loosen the pipe that is stuck in the well and in this case is becomes expedient to withdraw from the well the elements above the sub and as much of the sub as can be recovered. This is accomplished by slackening off from the top of the well until the set of splines are in position in the bore I5 of the lower section I4 and are out of contact with the internal splines I6. Then the drill string to which the mandrel 2 is attached may be rotated from the top of the well in a direction to unthread the tube 9 from the lower section I4 so that the only part of the sub which has to be left in the well is the lower section thereof.

Although the use of the device described is best adapted for connection above a shing tool assembly or for connection in a testing or drill string, this is not the only application of this device and it can be inserted in any type of assembly where it may be necessary to equalize pressures within the body 8 and within the elements thereabove or wherein it might be necessary to equalize pressures externally of elements above the mandrel with those pressures inter.- nally thereof. The device also has a general application for use in any assembly wherein it may be necessary to jar upwardly the elements which may be attached below the lower section Id.

It should be pointed out that this invention has especial usage in a testing assembly similar to that shown in United States Patents No. 1,842,270 and 1,901813 to M. O. Johnston in which the device is adaptable to be inserted below the tester, not shown, and above the packer, not shown, which seals oi the rat hole of a well bore from the bore thereabove.

In such an application, the positioning of the hole 'I of the mandrel 2 in communication with the annular space 25) within the tube 9 permits intercommunication between the rat hole fluids, the fluids in the testing bomb and via the testing bomb with the fluids in the well bore above the rat hole with the result that pressures are equalized between these areas. And it is particularly benecial to use this invention when the equalization of rat hole pressures with pressures vthereabove results in releasing the expanded packer which seals off the rat hole.

. Itvislalso pointed out that the equalizing fea- Il i ture of this invention can have an application in 1 cases where operations are conducted in well casings, as well as in uncased well bores.

The device has further application wherever it might be necessary to separate the body 8 and the elements thereabove from the lower section I4 in cases where the jarring operation may have been conducted to either a successful or unsuccessful termination.

A feature of this device also permits the pumping of fluid down the bore of the drill string 3 through the holes 6 and 1 of the mandrel, with the mandrel in the position shown in Fig. l, and out into the well bore to soften and to force any formations which may be restricting any part of the drill string assembly.

This invention contemplates broadly the provision of a combination jarring device, safety or releasing joint, and equalizing valve and has a general application in all fields wherein the general structures described herein are serviceable.

What is claimed is:

l. In a combination safety joint, bumper and equaiizing valve sub adapted for connection at its upper end to a drill string, the combination of a mandrel, upper and lower sets of splines on said mandrel therebelow, a body comprising an upper section having a grooved counterbore extendincr upwardly from its lower end and a partially internally splined lower section into which said upper section is threaded, said mandrel being upwardly slidable in said body to bring the upper set of splines between said grooves into jarring contact with the counterbore shoulder, said lower set of splines being spaced from said upper set to engage with the splines of said lower section as well as said grooves when said upper set is in upper portion adjacent said shoulder so that rotation of said drill string and mandrel may rotate both sections, said mandrel being downwardly slidable to position said lower set in the unsplined portion or" said lower section so that the mandrel may be rotated to unthread the sections, and an axial passage in said mandrel from the upper end thereof connecting with a radial passage to the mandrel exterior so that iluid pressures surrounding said drill string may be equalized with pressures within said drill string when said mandrel is in upper position; said radial passage communicating with said body interior when said mandrel is in lower position so that pressures in said drill string and said body may be equalized.

2. In a combination safety joint, bumper, and equalizing valve sub the combination of a mandrel adapted at its upper end for connection to a drill string, upper and lower sets of splines on said mandrel therebelow, a body comprising an upwardly counterbored, grooved upper section and a partially splined lower section, said mandrel being slidable in said body to bring said upper set of splines into jarring impact with the counterbore shoulder and to position said lower set of splines in said upper section and in said lower section splines so that the rotation of said mandrel may rotate both sections, and a passage in said mandrel between said drill string interior and said mandrel exterior below said connection to communicate with said body interior when said mandrel is in lowered position so that fluid pressures within said drill string and within said body may be equalized.

3. A sub for wells comprising a mandrel adapted at its upper end for connection to drill string and operable Within an upwardly counterbored body, spline means constituting hammer means on said mandrel within said body to be brought in jarring Contact with the shoulder of said counterbore when said string and said mandrel are raised, and a passage in said mandrel extending axially from said upper end and out wardly to said mandrel exterior therebelow so that fluid pressures within said drill string and externally thereof may be equalized when said mandrel is raised, and so that pressures within said drill string and said body interior may be equalized when said mandrel is lowered.

4. A sub for wells comprising a mandrel operable in an upwardly counterbored body, spline means constituting hammer means on said mandrel within said body to be brought in jarring contact with the shoulder of said counterbore, the top of said mandrel extending above said body and being adapted for connection to a drill string, and a passage in said mandrel extending from said drill string interior to said mandrel exterior 6 below said oonnectionfor connecting said drill string with the surrounding well bore so that iiuids Amay be pumped down said string and through said passage to soften and force restrictive well bore formations.

JAMES L. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,842,270 Johnston Jan. 19, 1932 1,889,283 Francis Nov. 29, 1932 1,901,813 Johnston Mar. 14, 1933 2,026,931 Burns et al. Jan. 7, 1936 2,049,289 Burns et al. July 28, 1936 2,049,290 Burns et al. July 28, 1936 2,214,238 Stovall Sept. 10, 1940 2,302,856 Hamon Nov. 24, 1942 2,321,215 Lee June 8, 1943 

